Letting the fur fly
by Cedora717
Summary: How would the story alter if another mythical being joined the fray? My name is Tulosin. I'm a Werecat and this is my take on the story. Mostly canon and all S.M.'s characters, locations and stories are of course her's. My first story. Hope you like it.
1. Chapter 1

Bright sunshine warmed the morning as wispy clouds floated across the sky. Last evening's rain had given way to a beautiful day. Everything seemed peaceful as I set out from the cave, passing underneath the low branches of the spruce tree that partially concealed the opening. I paused on the ledge next to the tree to take in the view before starting down the trail. The path was gentle, only slightly worn, an easy grade curving around the rock formation. Best of all, almost the entire path was concealed by interwoven branches and scrubs. As I neared the base, coverage opened somewhat and the ground began transitioning from rock to packed earth and soft grassy patches. I was happy to be back in the Olympic region with it's thick, old growth trees. Everything was green and brown, the flowers vibrant. The rich earth smelled wonderful and it felt like home. There was one particular evergreen, a bit off the trail, a nice old growth tree with a spot about midway up where the branches splayed just right for a nice platform to sleep on. Each sound of the forest was noted, a nearby stream, a small group of grazing elk. Squirrels and Jays scolded each other high in the trees.

As I neared the edge of the clearing, I slowed and scanned the area before breaking into a lope, enjoying the feel of the tall grasses as I passed thru them. Too soon I'd crossed the meadow and entered the opposite trees. The breeze was light, birds chirped and I was simply enjoying myself. The ground began to change as the carpeted forest began to give way to small rocky patches. The trees slowly gave way to rocky ridges. Drawing closer, I judged the best angle to reach a out-cropping; then gathering my muscles, I leaped. My front paws barely touched the rock before pushing off so I could set my hind quarters, then I pushed off again while angling up and slightly left for the next stepping stone. A few moments later, I was rewarded with a spectacular view. The tree line was broken by a narrow river. As I continued looking left, the river dropped away into what I remembered was a beautiful waterfall plunging down to the canyon below. It had been nearly 20 years since I'd passed this way but the Preserve seems to have changed very little. It was peaceful here and likely this spot would become one of my favorites. It would be a perfect place to relax in the mornings with the warmth of the sun beating down upon the rocks, giving me plenty of time to soak in the surroundings. Perhaps I would remain in Olympia for a while. There was plenty of wildlife, enough that there was little fear of culling them too much. I'd seen bears, wolves and other cats but none like me. This area had not been claimed. Also there were no humans for miles, although there was a small town further down to the west... Forks was it?

The wind shifted, now coming from the south. Opening my jaw a bit, I sampled what the wind brought. The fresh scent after a rainstorm, musty earth warmed by the morning sun, a small herd of mule deer were grazing in the trees past the river. I tensed suddenly, raising my head slightly focusing on a faint pungent odor that jostled a memory but the next moment it was gone. Hmm, perhaps because I had returned to the area, my subconscious was pulling phantoms from long ago. I'd seen no other sign. Of course I hadn't searched much to the south of here. There were none during my last visit here. However, something could have triggered a new generation and only one creature could have done so. I tried to shake the thought away but knew I would need to find out. And there was no time like the present...

Letting my nose guide me, I jumped down and proceeded across the meadow at a more southern route than my last crossing. I remembered where the tribe had been and it was doubtful they had strayed far from that location. About 20 minutes later, I stopped near an old hiking trail. Too many human scents had crossed the area which meant I would be giving it a wide berth for the most part. Although I wanted to know where the humans were going, I did not want to interact much with it was again... that smell...that musky wet dog aroma what seemed to burn my nostrils. Could it be? I thought they'd all died out.


	2. Chapter 2

Although they were temperamental and noisy, they did have their uses. I sighed, knowing the main reason for them being around was the bigger problem. _Hmm, was the 'problem' a single one, a pair and had it been taken care of yet?_ With a heavy sigh, I trotted across the trail and headed toward the reservation. A few minutes later, it was apparent they were back. Their smell seemed to permeate everywhere. I paused mid step as the howl sounded. Then another from further away. _Great._ Only one thing to do when too many dogs are around. I looked up, judging the nearby trees. _Ah, that one._ With a leap, I dug my claws in and began to climb. About 15' up, I saw a useful branch in a neighboring tree and launched my body toward it. How wonderful if felt to be able to soar like this, even if only for a few moments. My claws dug into the wood and as soon as my rear paws made contact, I stretched up to another branch and then made another leap to the next closest tree. I wanted to be several trees away in order to confuse the wolves when they found my scent. I wondered what their reaction would be? What were their feelings toward other shapeshifters? A brief moment to check the wind. _Good, they were approaching upwind of me._ Another jump, then two more and I was 5 trees away. _This should be far enough._ I spied a likely looking branch above me. Then after climbing another several feet, I settled on a slightly forked branch about 30' up in the canopy and stretched out. Soon the only noticeable movement was a slight flick of my tail and my eyes scanning the forest floor. The wolves progress wasn't hard to miss. Perhaps they didn't know I was here or they simply didn't care. I heard a couple more barks before they entered the range where I could actually hear them racing thru the forest. _Two... no three._ Three werewolves. Two from the west and one from the south. _Was this all,_ I wondered. They drew closer and I tensed. It wasn't that I feared them but the instinct to be careful was too strong. Dipping my head slightly to peer around the leaves, I focused on the spot I expected them to appear. Soon enough, two wolves came into view. Each was the size of a small horse. One had dark silver fur and the other brown which was darker over the face. They paused, each looking around then with ears flicking they turned their great heads south as a slightly larger came into view. This one was jet black, but thicker and much more muscular than the other two. _He must be the alpha._ Our size was comparable but my body length was longer by half a foot _or tail_, I thought with a small smirk.

The three of them began to mill around the trees alternatively sniffing the air then the ground all the while emitting low growls and yips. My hackles rose slightly as the grating sound reached my sensitive hearing but I kept silent and still. With a quick bark, the alpha zeroed in on the first tree I'd touched. He circled it then rose up on his hind legs to sniff higher up the trunk. His great head turned right then left as he searched the branches. The other two followed suit, arching their necks back so they could scan the branches.

I simply waited. The only movement was the tip of my tail and the leaves gently blowing in the breeze. It was a bonus that the wind was blowing away from them. Now silent, they moved apart from each other keeping their great heads up scanning the trees. The one with brown fur came my way. I followed his approach but kept track of the other two. _Why were they so silent now?_ The brown one paused and almost immediately the other two came over to flank him. _Hmmm_, I sniffed slightly, _ok, wind has shifted some but.._ I tensed as the brown one suddenly yelped and broke into a run. The other two leaped after him. I followed their path until the trees enveloped them. Concentrating, I strained to hear whatever I could from that direction but only rustling leaves and sounds of the wolves drawing further away. Without moving, I simply listened and then slowly scanned the area. _What had upset the brown one? Why had they all abandoned their search?_ I pondered and listened for about 10 minutes before deciding they weren't coming back. A few minutes later found me back on the ground. Standing briefly in their last position I strained my senses to their max but other than following them; no clue to their sudden departure was to be discovered. Being the curious sort, I decided to follow. Their scent was strong but not overwhelming and very easy to follow. I kept to the right of their trail and occasionally broke into a lope. After a little while the trees began to thin out a little and I slowed to a walk expanding my senses. _Hmm.. arid smoke, I must be close._ The faint sounds of people begin filtering in, just a few but the village was very close. I easily slipped into stalking mode; body lower to the ground, being very careful about placing my paws on the ground. Unconsciously curling my upper lip back from my teeth and breathing in, I tasted the air. My nose wrinkled at the mix of scents. Focusing on the pungent werewolf scent, I crossed a well worn path then continued another dozen or so yards before stopping behind a tree. I peered around the trunk, looking upon a three small houses grouped together. I could hear voices and my eyes fell upon three Quileute teens. The two boys had copper skin, short black hair, well muscled, one about 6' and the other a few inches taller. The shorter one was holding a girl, gently cradling her arm. Her brown hair partially covered her face but her soft crying was audible.

"Kim, I'm so sorry. Please don't cry. I know it hurts but we'll get you to Sue and she'll fix you up." He gently brushed her hair back and kissed her forehead.

"It hurts so much, Jared. I'm sorry I'm acting like a baby."

"You're not, Sweetie. It's ok, I think you're entitled a few tears right now and it gives me an excuse to hold you." He smirked and tapped her lightly on the nose, grinning when she did.

The taller one turned his head toward the sound of an approaching car. He gently took hold of her shoulder. "Embry's here."

A small battered tan car came into view and the trio moved toward it. Jared helped the girl into the back seat then joined her. The other one pushed the door shut then stepped back as the car pulled away. He watched it driving down the dirt road until it past out of sight then turned and began walking down the lane in the other direction. He'd only gone a few steps before coming to a stop to scan the area. He seemed to stare right at me for a moment before continuing on his way. I moved a little deeper then picked up my pace a little trying to draw ahead of his position. If the lane was heading nowhere, I could easily turn back.

A few minutes later I slowed to a walk then crept closer to the edge of the woods. I could see a clearing with a little brown rustic house nestled right up against the opposite trees. Couching down almost to the ground amid the foliage, I waited. My ears were laid back focusing my hearing behind me incase anyone approached. The house seemed like something I could live in if I chose. It looked to be a story and a half with a deep porch and I couldn't help smiling at the hole in the porch roof to accommodate the tree growing thru it. I realized the front door was open and flicked my ears forward to see if I could hear anything. Singing.. I could hear someone singing softly.. a female's voice. My nose twitched. Someone was cooking. I tasted the air and found the aromas to be palatable.

A whistle sounded to my right. My eyes snapped that direction as the singing ceased. I glanced back toward the house when a young woman appeared in the doorway with a wave. She was very lovely with glossy black hair and copper skin. I frowned as I focused on three long scars on the right side of her face. I wondered what had happened but a guess would be some sort of accident from a werewolf. Movement to my right brought my attention back to the path in time to see the probable alpha come round the bend. He smiled and continued toward the house.

"Where are the boys?"

"Kim had a fall; broke her arm. They're taking her to Sue. She'll be alright but I'm not so sure about Jared."

"We'll go over later and take her something." She frowned suddenly as he snapped his gaze toward me again.

"Nothing." His dark eyes searched the woods around me a few moments longer before turning back to her and up the steps. "It's nothing. We had to break patrol off when Jared felt her pain." He gave her a kiss on her scarred side then wrapped his arm around her.

"So when are you and Embry going to finish it?"

He laughed before answering. "After lunch."

"Then I guess I'd better get some food in you." Taking his hand, she lead him inside.

They closed the door and I was left pondering. _Did he suspect or did he know I was here?_


	3. Chapter 3

They closed the door and I was left pondering. _Did he suspect or know I was here?_ It was time to go. Taking my time, I backed deeper into the woods and retraced my steps to where I'd first seen the girl with the broken arm. I wondered how she'd been hurt and how the brown wolf had known. _Things to ponder later,_ I mused as I continued back to the clearing where the wolves had first appeared.

They were going to come looking for me that much was certain. Perhaps they only wanted to know who had crossed into their territory or perhaps they already had a beef with my kind. _Either way, they will have to work for it._ Breaking into a lope, I raced across the clearing. I figured the wolves probably had senses similar to mine, however, if I could confuse my scent enough by mixing it with other animals or confusing my trail it might throw them off just enough. I spent the next couple of hours making random trails, both on the ground and through the trees. I crossed over my tracks at various points by going in circles. I even walked backwards a couple of times, carefully placing my paws in previous tracks which wasn't easy to do. _Well that's one bonus for being a human, _I thought while breaking into a trot. A sudden strong scent caused me to slide to a stop, my head swiveling around to find the source. _Close.. too close.._ Instinct kicked in and I leaped for the nearest tree, stretching out to dig my claws into a branch to pull myself up. I heard a hissing sound behind me. _No no no.._ ran thru my head as I launched myself upwards feeling a faint panic building. I blindly jumped to a neighboring tree then ran out on a branch until my weight caused it to bend too much then I launched myself outward. I hit the ground running and kept going. Once I reached the stream; I waded down it for some time. _Hehe, hope they run into that_ I thought feeling a little giddy. I'd rather face an angry vampire than be sprayed by a skunk. I mentally shuddered remembering a time when I hadn't been so lucky. _Did I stumble across it's den? Was that why it was about during the day?_ Well, whatever the reason, I certainly wasn't curious enough to go find out. After I was certain no spunk had hit me, I gathered myself and leaped out of the water stretching as far as I could before landing. Taking a moment to glance around, _ha, track that!_ I traveled back to the meadow via as many trees as I could use. It was time to learn the long way home. _Home,_ it had a nice ring to it.

My time thus far had been spent further north plotting the inner core of my new territory. The double cavern cave I'd found was almost perfect. A smaller first room with natural venting exiting the roof at an upward angle and a secondary more spacious oblong cavern to it's side. It would be warm enough in winter so that even in my human form I would be comfortable in it and could have a small fire in the smaller room. It was secluded and defendable if needed. There was a small stream nearby and plenty of cover. I suddenly chucked which came out as a chuffle. I was done looking.. I was home. I'd continue to reintroduce myself to the land and to learn of any threats... My musing were interrupted as my stomach signaled it's empty state. _Ok, settle down._ Now, what would I find on the menu...

Watching the small herd of elk, I briefly debated my choice before focusing on a older doe. She was feeding on the edge of the herd, slowly moving away from the others as she searched for the sweetest shoots of grass. My gaze narrowed and I plotted my path as I began to move. Crouching slightly, ears pricked forward, my tail scarcely flicking, I arched to the right while edging closer. It would be a quick dash; a short leap to snap her neck.

_Something changed!_ The woods had gone silent. I froze, spreading out my senses; seeking what had disturbed me. Whatever it was, it was downwind but the feeling of danger grew stronger. I eased my head to the right as the fur along my spine begin to rise. Crouching lower, both to disguise myself and to be ready to defend, I scanned the area. Then I caught a scent I knew very well. I unsheathed my claws while a low snarl of warning began deep within... A flicker of movement caught my attention. Lightly placing my paws, I slowly turned to face the threat. Then in a flash something rushed toward me. My lips curled back exposing my fangs and my snarl erupted in a roar as the female drew drew near. I shifted position and roared again in fury at the tiny vampire.

As we both lunged a louder growl erupted from behind her and in a blur there was suddenly a larger male between us. Unable to stop, I felt my claws slice thru his shirt and into his solid form with a sound akin to scraping granite. With a scream of rage, his arms shot out catching me in the chest easily throwing me backward into a nearby tree. Pain exploded in my head and shoulder as I felt the tree crack upon impact. I shook my head fighting against a wave of dizziness. As my vision cleared, I saw the shocked expression on his face, a white hand moving to feel his chest and the furrows running from shoulder to mid chest. His other arm shot out to block the female who was attempting to sidestep him and attack me. Her fury seemed almost amusing due to her tiny size.

She pushed against his arm " Let me by."

"No." His eyes never moved from me but his head shifted slightly toward her. "It could actually harm you." He whispered in a tense voice.

Her head snapped toward him, her expression showed confusion. Then her eyes widened as she saw the furrows from my claws. "Jaz.. how..." She turned back to me with a low snarl.

"I'm going to rip it to shreds."

My hackles rose higher as my head lowered a touch. _Try it!_ Ignoring the pain, I was ready to make my stand. Then suddenly I felt my rage easing as if a warm blanked curled around me. What ..mentally shaking my head, I gathered my rage again but within moments it had faded away completely. I relaxed my stance and simply watched them feeling completely calm.

"I believe it is simular to the wolves." He told her in a soft voice.

My ears twitched slightly.

He paused briefly then whispered to her. "And if it's not alone.."

_Ok, he is on the right track but just how much did they know about werewolves._ His next statement shocked me so much that my ears flicked forward automatically to make sure I heard correctly.

Easing his arm around the small one to hold her close, he spoke to me. "We are different from others of our kind. We do not hunt humans."


	4. Chapter 4

(I wish to both thank those who have read this tale so far. Thank you for reviewing and calling it a favorite. I appreciate it more than you know. I also wish to apologize for my lengthy time away from it. Family, life and health took several hits and it's been a long, dark journey back. I'm ready to give this story my whole heart effort and hope you will stick around to see how it goes.

The wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns her own creations and world. I am grateful to be allowed to politely borrow a few while adding a couple of my own.

I am seeking a beta reader - please. Thanks to all and please enjoy chapter 4. Promise chapter 5 will be posted soon. I'm picking up with a little bit of chapter 3 slightly rewritten.)

Watching the small herd of elk, I briefly debated my choice before focusing on an older doe. She was feeding on the edge of the herd, slowly moving away from the others as she searched for the sweetest shoots of grass. My gaze narrowed and I plotted my path as I began to move. Crouching slightly, ears pricked forward, my tail scarcely flicking, I arched to the right while edging closer. It would be a quick dash; a short leap to snap her neck.

_Something changed! _The woods had gone silent. I froze, spreading out my senses; seeking what had disturbed me. Whatever it was, it was downwind but the feeling of danger grew stronger. I panned my head to the right as the fur along my spine begin to rise. Crouching lower, both to disguise myself and to be ready to defend, I scanned the area. Then I caught a scent I knew very well. My claws unsheathed while a low snarl of warning began deep within... A flicker of movement caught my attention. Lightly placing my paws, I slowly turned to face the threat. My lips curled back exposing my fangs and my snarl erupted in a roar as the female rushed forward. I shifted position and roared again in fury at the tiny vampire.

As we lunged for each other another leech raced in front of her. The blond male flung an arm out to block her and the other up between us. Unable to stop, I felt my claws slice thru his shirt and into his torso with a sound akin to scraping granite as his hand slammed into my chest. We both cried out in pain. I flew back into a nearby tree which cracked upon impact. Pain exploded in my head and shoulder. A surge of adrenaline rose up to battle the approaching blackness rushing to pull me into its maw. I blinked a few times and as my vision cleared, I saw he was on the ground. The little vampire apparently had kneeled down to check on him. His hand was moving down his chest feeling the furrows running from shoulder to mid chest. His other arm shot out to grab the female who'd jumped to her feet spinning my direction. Her furious growls seemed almost amusing due to her tiny size.

She pushed against his arm "Let me go. I'm going to rip it to shreds!"

My hackles rose higher as my head lowered a touch. _Try it! _Ignoring the pain, I was ready to make my stand. Then suddenly I felt my rage easing as if a warm blanked curled around me. _What. mentally_ shaking my head, I gathered my rage again but within moments it had faded away completely. I relaxed my stance and simply watched them feeling completely calm.

"No," he said quietly as he stood. His eyes never moved from me but his head shifted slightly toward her. "That's not a natural panther. It could actually harm you." He whispered in a tense voice. "It may be similar to the wolves." He told her in a soft voice.

My ears twitched slightly.

He paused briefly then whispered to her. "And if it's not alone."

_Ok, he is on the right track but just how much did they know about werewolves._ His next statement shocked me so much that my ears flicked forward automatically to make sure I heard correctly.

Easing his arm around the small one to hold her close, he spoke to me. "We are different from others of our kind. We do not hunt humans."

Easing his arm around the small one to hold her close, he spoke to me. "We are different from others of our kind. We do not hunt humans."

My eyebrow raised in disbelief. _'Not hunt humans? This scar covered vampire and his pixie size companion did not hunt humans?_ My brain must be scrambled_._ I was starting to feel the pain, so the adrenaline must be running out. And why was I calmly standing here listening to my enemy?

The female glanced at his chest. "You're healing."

Yup, I could see the furrows were sealing themselves. Soon he would only have another set of scars.

He kept his arm around her never taking his eyes from me. "I'm Jasper Cullen and this is my wife Alice. Our family live among the humans but we do not hunt them. Because of this, we have a treaty with the werewolves. I'm sorry for attacking you. We were unaware of your kind. Perhaps your pack would consider a similar treaty?"

I sat down, completely flabbergasted. _'Family! Treaty! Really must have hit my head too hard!'_

He paused a moment with a thoughtful expression on his face. "You're wounded. May we could assist you?"

I managed a small snarl before another wave of calm pushed it aside.

He slowly put his hand up, palm out, showing he did not wish to fight. "Easy, be easy. We will withdraw. We will remain west of this location until something can be worked out." Jasper nodded once then keeping Alice slightly behind him began to carefully back away.

I stood up suppressing a hiss; something must be broken but as long as I could make it safely back to the cave there would be time for it to heal. Anxiety began to rise as the calm blanket slowly faded away. _What in all holy was that? Calmly sitting... sitting... listening to vampires!?_I fanned out my senses trying to get a bead on them. Running, they were running but not toward me. I felt so confused, however, it was clearly time to go. With a sudden spin, I leaped around the tree unable to contain the cry of pain as I put pressure on my front leg. I forced myself to run, ignoring the stabs of agony. I needed distance from this location. I had no idea what had just happened. Were they telling the truth? What erased my rage? I needed to think about this. I cried out as my shoulder gave out. I stumbled and fell, screaming out as my shoulder smashed into ground and blackness overwhelmed me...


	5. Chapter 5

(SM owns all her work - period. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to review and I promise to be quicker with posting. Still seeking a beta reader so if you're interested... :)

I stood up suppressing a hiss; something must be broken but as long as I could make it safely back to the cave there would be time for it to heal. Anxiety began to rise as the calm blanket slowly faded away. _What in all holy was that? Calmly sitting... sitting... listening to vampires!?_I fanned out my senses trying to get a bead on them. Running, they were running but not toward me. I felt so confused, however, it was clearly time to go. With a sudden spin, I leaped around the tree unable to contain the cry of pain as I put pressure on my front leg. I forced myself to run, ignoring the stabs of agony. I needed distance from this location. I had no idea what had just happened. Were they telling the truth? What erased my rage? I needed to think about this. I cried out as my shoulder gave out. I stumbled and fell, screaming out as my shoulder smashed into ground and blackness overwhelmed me...

Sometime later awareness returned... Damp earth, moss. the aroma was strong. confusion... I shifted and hissed as the pain jerked me to full consciousness. 'Vampires!' Throwing out my senses, I thankfully found no hint of danger nearby. I let my body relax as I simply tried to control the pain. The day had started out so well, so beautiful and now, vampires and werewolves… with a treaty? Sometime later I was upright even if not completely steady. My head was pounding and sharp stabs of pain were shooting around my shoulder with every step. It soon became a three legged hop-walk. Coming to a stop, I stretched out my senses seeking what may be around but only small animals were heard. _Ok, perhaps they did leave and except for the pain perhaps I had hallucinated the whole thing. _I tried cleaning my shoulder but it hurt so much to move my neck that I gave up. _Rest, that's what I need, just rest and water. _I could use some fresh meat but unless it appeared at my paws the water would have to suffice. But first. there was another thing I needed to do. I closed my eyes and concentrated, focusing, drawing my energy. _Leave no trail... _My tail lowered to touch the path and slowly began sweeping gently back and forth. I continued my hop-walk, moving slowly, keeping my injured leg just above the ground. Without looking, I knew my tracks were vanishing, the loose earth shifting slightly, fallen leaves fluttering gently to erase my tracks. The aromas of the freshly dug earth and damp moss wafted anew. This continued for a while. One would have to be powerful in order to see the forest responding to my call. 

A couple of hours later, I reached the stream near my cave and limped in to lap up a long cool drink. Then after checking my surroundings and finding it quiet, I went up the trail and into the cave. I turned around twice and settled down, stretching out to be able to rest completely. After a while I felt the pain fading away and finally begin to doze. At some point I must have dreamed some because there were moments of snapping jaws, blood and magic. I awoke with a start, every sense tingling but no one was near. The dawn had not yet broken. I shifted slightly, gently stretching the injured side glad to feel only a slight stiffness. What had woken me...? A few images flickered. memories.. moments from long ago.. Some I pushed aside, they were too painful still but another I allowed. A fight.. several of us against them... Screams and snarls, ripping metal and blood. A lynx had been thrown.. thrown from only a touch... Later.. after it was over and after the survivors had discussed everything, we realized the vampire had a gift. With a touch, he could throw an enemy across the clearing.

_Gifts_... that blonde walking scar had a gift and the leach used it against me!

Alright, two can play that game. Now I needed to learn more about them, how many, where did they stay, who or what do they hunt and was there a treaty with the dogs. Hmm, I might have to talk with the dogs. Sigh.

Deciding I was awake for the day I gingerly stretched my front paws out to their limit and slowly arched my back feeling my spine pop a little. There was some soreness but after rolling my shoulders and stretching my neck a bit it eased off. A morning lope, fresh meat and nap on a sun drenched rock would definitely make my day. Moving out onto my ledge I listened for bit to the sounds of the night before heading down my covered path, pausing where the rock transitioned to packed earth. I stretched my senses out but found nothing of interest. I tasted the air, curling my lips back and dropped my jaw a little to inhale whatever scents were around. Damp earth, moss, wetness of the stream nothing out of the ordinary. My ears twitched as a mouse scurried thru the brush followed by an owl hooting a little to the east which was interrupted when my belly protested its empty status. _Alright. _First thing on the list was a visit to the spring from the evening before. Starting out walking to warm up my muscles, I watched the beauty of the early dawn as the sky began to lighten in the East slowly chasing the darkness away. It seemed I could feel the forest waking up as well. This was my favorite part of the day. As I reached the spring, the first hints of pinks and amber were working to spread their fingers out. I was pleased it had taken less than half of the travel time to reach it. Birds were beginning to welcome the morning. After listening for a minute I stepped into the cool water and lapped some up. Then being cautious of where I stepped, I quietly walked upstream for a while before leaping out onto a small boulder. Another leap and I was headed for the clearing about 4 miles from the leech encounter. I wasn't ready to deal with them, especially on an empty stomach.

A little later I approached the clearing and slowed to a walk as I slowly twitched my ears to locate prey. My head automatically dropped so I could watch the trail more closely. I needed to be careful of every step. The wind shifted. _No good, _I thought and quickly darted further west before resuming my hunting. The wind which was now blowing toward me would both mask my scent and assist in finding breakfast. A few minutes later, I heard a couple of grunts and then a scraping sound. My ears focused forward as I silently slipped thru the forest taking advantage of every shadow. My paws were gently placed to avoid making a sound. Drawing close, I could hear four separate bucks. A bachelor group then. Slowing my pace more, I made sure to avoid stepping on any twigs or leaves. There must be no noise to alert them. Oh they smelled so good that my mouth started to water.

Moving toward where I could hear the mule deer crunching twigs as they rooted around for grass. I took a little extra time to verify no one else was around but sensed nothing else near. Gently rolling my shoulders a bit, I was happy the slow jog seemed to have worked the stiffness out. Creeping closer, I again reached out, checking for the unwanted but found none. I slowed to a crawl, creeping low against the ground until I drew close enough to peer at them thru the foliage. For several moments I remained frozen, breathing lightly as I watched. Unaware of my presence they continued to feed. Every now and then, one would pause to look around and listen for danger.

My gaze locked on my chosen target and I shifted to a hunter's crouch, my tail pointing out low behind me. The chosen young bunk was on the edge of the group. My weight shifted to the balls of my feet. Then with another quick glance toward the others, my haunches tensed then in a flash I sprung from the bushes with a burst of speed. One leap had me a few feet behind him. A warning squeal sounded from my left and my buck's neck started to jerk up. A second leap had me over his back, my claws stretched out and my jaws open. As my weight landed, he stumbled, squealing in terror and pain as my jaws locked onto his neck, slicking thru skin and flesh. His hot blood filled my mouth. My jaws closed until they crunched thru bone. As he fell, my body shifted so I could land beside him making sure his neck was snapped. His suffering over. I looked around, snarling both my victory and a warning to all – this was mine! Dare not approach. It had happened so fast that the others were still in the clearing, eyes wide with terror, spinning to see if another predator would attack then with a final flurry, they spun and fled, crashing thru the underbrush with enough noise to alert anything in the near region. As they drew further away, I reached out again, seeking anything or anyone who could pose a threat to me. Only when I was satisfied I was alone did I lower my jaws to the buck's soft belly.


	6. Chap 6 - Meeting the neighbors

Yes, it's been a while. I'm sorry. I know how annoying it can be to start reading and suddenly you're left hanging for too long. I already have the next new installments in progress so this story will be continued in a timely fashion. I promise. For those of you hanging on... thank you very much.

And of course, nothing belongs to me but a few roving characters and of course Tulosin. Please enjoy...

After eating my fill, I carried the remains further into the brush before dropping the carcass. Using my paws and muzzle, I pushed the remains under a low scrub then scraped twigs and leaves around the body. Then I took the time to rid myself of any blood and unwanted fur before resigning myself to visit the dog park… er.. reservation. I decided to take my time meandering thru the terrain. I needed to consider the best way to approach them. They would be too aggressive if I simply appeared in their village so perhaps the best method was to wait near their perimeter until one of the wolves appeared but then again, that might take a while. Hmm, I could sneak up and chomp on one of their tails? A low laugh rumbled in my throat… well, perhaps that wasn't the best idea, however, amusing it would be. Oh well, maybe I wouldn't have to wait on the edge of their territory for long.

After about two hours of waiting and pacing, I was ready to go scratch on the alpha's door but I only turned to continue pacing. I even called out a couple of times, pausing to listen for any reply, any sound of approaching wolves. _What was taking so long? You'd think at least one would be … _my ears swiveled toward something. A howl. Finally, I thought, they were coming. Then I froze as something else caught my attention. After a moment I heard it again - a faint cry, then another. Without another thought, I set off toward it. I snarled in frustration as I again heard the howls I'd sought but they were not in the direction I was headed. I stretched out into a dead run as I crossed the sweet scent of vampire. _'Damn, that walking scar lied to me!'_ Roaring both a challenge and call for aid, I raced thru the trees. After a few minutes, I began to hear two beings ahead and knew I was gaining ground. One was laughing and the other was babbling in terror, however, the howls I'd heard were still too far away. A blood-curdling scream was abruptly cut off as I rounded the last tree and in the meadow beyond. I watched as the vampire tossed the hiker aside and spun around to face me. It wasn't that blonde Cullen; I was somewhat relieved to see. Instead, it was a lanky male with long stringy hair in stained jeans and a leather jacket. He just stared at me looking puzzled as to why an over-sized black panther was charging him. I roared in fury and launched myself toward him…

He crouched while growling, eager to fight. His arms came up to as if to catch me but he twisted at the last moment to shove me aside so I only managed to claw at his arm. Crying out, he stared at the damage before snapping his gaze my way, growling in fury. "What in hell are you!?" I was already spinning so with barely a moment on the ground, I gathered myself to attack again. Saliva dripped from my fangs. The drive to destroy my enemy was all that mattered. _I am death, _I thought as I leaped at him again. As we collided, he grabbed onto my shoulders. "Mutant fur ball, I'm going to rip your head off and make a coat out of your fur!" My response was to rake down his chest and stomach with my hind claws. "Aaagghh!" His hands reached my neck and began to squeeze. I snapped at his face, taking off the tip of his chin before he jerked his head back. As we hit the ground and started to roll, I managed to get my forepaws onto his shoulders and pushed as hard as I could, breaking his hold and we rolled apart. I spat out the bit and stalked toward him. He rolled onto a knee, launched himself toward me while drawing his arm back. As he threw the punch, I sidestepped, snapped my powerful jaws together and yanked. The lovely sound of ripping metal grated against my sensitive ears but I didn't mind. "Aaaghh, you bitch!" My reply was simply dropping his hand and batting it away with a paw. I allowed my tongue to loll out in my best impression of a laugh. Whether it was that or he'd simply had enough but whatever the reason, he pulled his ruined handless arm to his chest while spinning to run away. _Well, I guess he's done playing around. _Pity, I was just starting to enjoy myself but if he was tired, I was happy to assist him in resting. Silently running up behind him, I pushed off from the ground with my jaws spreading wide and head tilting slightly. I gently touched his shoulders as my powerful jaws closed around his head. Then using every ounce of strength, I shoved my forearms against him while violently twisting my head. His body fell forward and I jumped off and dropped his head before his body hit the ground. Soon the sound of ripping metal filled the area…

A few minutes later I approached the hiker. I knew he couldn't be saved but if he was turning… well, that was something I could not allow to happen. Blood covered his throat, staining his shirt and his heart was silent. I'd been too late to stop this but so had the werewolves. I was furious with them! Why hadn't they arrived in time? This was their territory! My tail thrashed in irritation but after a bit I made myself calm down. I work to do... Bowing my head, I paused a moment for the human life lost. Then with a sigh, I turned away from him and began gathering up pieces of the leech. After dropping the last bits onto the pile, I walked around looking for a specific item. _Ah…but too small…_Closer to the tree line I found it, gently picked it up and trotted back to the pile of leech parts. I dropped the piece of rock which was slightly flat on top and maybe about 4 inches in length. Then closing my eyes for a moment, I focused deep within while extending the claws on my left forepaw and quickly swiped them across the rock. _From a spark, come a flame... _scrape… _from a spark, come a flame…_scrape. The strong smell of sulfur burned my nostrils and I jerked my head back in time to see the flash as a small spark leaped from the rock to part of the vampire's leg. Quickly backing away, I watched the flames grow to encompass the shredded leech. I moved back further to avoid the horrible smell.

A slight awareness alerted me and I turned to see three large wolves watching the scene. We stood there watching each other and the fire until the flames died down.

Then the one I'd pegged as their Alpha 'barked' few times but if he was trying to communicate with me, I didn't understand. I yipped back _Can you understand me, _with a similar lack of results. A couple of minutes later, the Alpha turned and moved out of my sight as he entered the trees. The other two remained, scarcely blinking as they watched me. Only a few moments later, the young man with short cropped black hair, I'd seen in the village came into view wearing only some cut-off jeans. He walked between the other two but stopped a few feet in front of them. He was very muscular and was stood about 6 and a half feet tall.

"I'm Sam." He indicated the other two. "Jared and Paul." I glanced at the other two but only the one with dark silver one twisted his head a little and flicked an ear. Not that that helped to determine which was which but I took it for an acknowledgment of some sort. "It would be easier to communicate if you would phase." He said to me gesturing with his head toward the trees to my right.

I slightly turned my head to glance at the trees briefly before looking at them again, specifically the two wolves just behind him.

"Guys back away. This one may feel more comfortable phasing with some distance between us." When they didn't move, he said something to them in what must have been their native language. Sam's voice, this time, was deeper with almost double tone. They immediately backed away. He said nothing further but focused his attention on me and waited.

After another minute considering everything, I sighed then forced myself to relax. Then I pulled from within myself before stretching upwards, pulling my paws from the ground. I felt the slow lengthening of my legs, my spine shortening, realigning. The panther seemed to shrink within. Fur shortened to expose skin and fabric. It took almost no time for the wolves to watch this graceful transformation into a young woman with emerald eyes and dark wavy hair falling just below my shoulders. I appeared to be in my early 20's, wearing faded jeans, a loose fitting burgundy tee-shirt, and sneakers. I was fairly pretty and very cautious. My voice was velvet when I finally spoke. "I'm Tulosin."

Sam seemed surprised for a moment before recovering and speaking in a harsh tone. "Tulosin, while we appreciate you destroying the leech, you are on our reservation and it isn't the first time. What are your intentions?"

My eyes narrowed somewhat and if I'd been in feline form, the fur along my spine would be standing up. "Correct," I snapped back. "I took your leech out because none of you were here." Holding my arm out to indicate the pile of ash. "I heard the howls moving away from this thing."

The brown wolf with darker markings around his head snarled but at a signal from Sam, he quieted. "We took care of the other one. You failed to save the human!"

Without conscious thought, my head lowered a touch and my body tensed. My next words were low and deadly. "I waited on your perimeters edge. I signaled for you but when danger came, you chose the wrong target. There was no time to save the human. So yes, I entered your territory but to kill a common enemy because you were not there!"

Now both the wolves were snarling and edging forward. Their fur bristled, their lips drawn back to reveal sharp fangs. Sam's hands clinched as he began to shake. You could see the fury radiating from him.

"Calm yourself!" I snapped out. "Does the Alpha lack such control to not hear the truth!?" I glared at him hoping he would choose sense and calm himself. If not, I was already calculating the distance to the nearest set of trees, the approximate time it would take his kind to reach me. As a human, I was fast but there was no way I could outrun them. They had to relax so I stood frozen, forcing my breathing rate to slow while trying not to show how tense I was. I didn't wish to fight them but if forced… _Damn!_ His had increased. I could hear growls coming from him.

"We may be able to work together but not like this. If I can stand here, this close to the three of you…" I broke off as he held his hand up. Sam took several deep breaths and visibly eased somewhat. _Ok, good, he was trying or was it a ruse?_

Another minute passed while the rest of us waited. Once the shaking stopped, he spoke to the others in their language before slowly stepping toward me with a deliberate pace. As he drew nearer, I raised my head slightly. This was about as close as I could handle without bristling. He must have sensed it because he stopped about 10' away. Clearly, he was still furious. His expression was hard, his jaw set. It looked like he was forcing his hands not to clinch.

"I am fine hearing the truth which is also that you trespassed and you were in our village." Pausing for a breath, he then raised his head. "While I thank you for destroying this one while we were elsewhere, why were you in our village. Why did you follow me to my house?"

Ok, I owed him this. "I followed you because I was curious. I hope the girl is ok?" In anticipation of the other's reaction. I looked around Sam and said in a louder voice to the others. "I would never harm her and I will not return."

We all heard the growl but surprisingly Sam chuckled. "Relax, Jared. I believe her." Then to me "and yes, Kim will be fine. As long as you respect our borders we will respect yours."

I raised my eyebrow slightly. "I'm not as concerned about mine even should it be discovered."

His laughing was bold and loud. "We don't know you but it's clear we fight against the same enemy."

It was time to see his reaction. "What about the Cullen's?" Yup, that seemed to have shocked him. "You have a treaty with them?"


	7. Chapter 7 - Family Meeting

(I have used a quote from Twilight, which of course, all belong to Stephanie Meyers.)

There was a pause as the disc changed. Then the soothing notes of Debussy wafted throughout the room. He sighed and let the pen fall from his fingers onto the page of his journal. He was bored. He was tired of the same routine and there were two more years to look forward to before they began the cycle again. Edward looked around his room. Homework was finished. He wasn't thirsty. The following day was going to be sunny so he and his siblings would be avoiding school. Of course, it might relieve the boredom if they did waltz around the grounds glittering like diamonds… 'Sigh.' Maybe he'd go for a run. … he could ask Esme to join him. He knew she'd been working on a new design for a while and could probably use a break. He smiled as he heard her thoughts. She was a calming influence on all of them, loving and fiercely protective of her family.

For all intents and purposes, Esme was his mother, as kind and caring as his own had been. The piece of music currently playing brought a smile to his face as his mind wandered back to fond memories of his mother teaching him how to play the piano, patiently placing his fingers on each key, smiling when he learned the chords. Later, she would hum along as he hesitantly attempted a few pieces and always hugged him when he'd finally gotten them right. Debussy… he had played Debussy for her on her following birthday. Only a few birthdays later he'd lost her along with his father and many friends. In fact, in eight short weeks over eight thousand had died from the Spanish influenza epidemic in Chicago alone. Technically he had as well and would have; except a caring and lonely vampire had taken his mother's dying plea to heart and risked his darker nature when he injected venom into the dying teenager without succumbing into drinking the blood. Carlisle had been the doctor who had treated the Mason family back then. Edward's father had passed almost immediately then his wife; herself worn down from tending her son, had in almost her last breath pleaded with Carlisle. "What others cannot do, this you must do for my son, Edward."

Carlisle had spirited him away, had bitten him injecting venom into his veins. He had stayed with Edward during the three agonizing days during which Edward felt nothing but fiery pain as the venom transformed him into a vampire. Carlisle had been so patient with the newborn, trying to instill in the young vampire the desire to live amid humans without giving into their primal desires to kill and drink the nectar of their blood. Three years later, Carlisle had brought Esme into their family after she'd attempted suicide after the loss of her newborn son. They'd fallen in love and Edward had been pleased to have stood up for them when they later married. Edward couldn't have loved her more. She was kind and full of love, both shy and fierce. Her laugh was infectious. He'd come to think of her as a second mother well before he could say the word. But being Esme, she'd already understood. As he watched their romance blossom, Edward had begun crafting a song their love. His wedding present was playing that special piece of music. Their song… her song.

Edward jolted to attention as he suddenly caught Jasper's mental voice. He flashed downstairs to where Esme was working on her sketches. She was already looking toward the door expectantly when he appeared. "Jasper and Alice ran into something out there, a werecat or something." He paused as she froze. "They're fine but you should call Carlisle and Emmett while we patrol the nearby woods."

"Be careful," she said while reaching for her cell.

Edward nodded as he turned for the back door. He could hear the others closing in. They would begin a circuit of the property, keeping the house within easy hearing range knowing Esme would be comforted to at least hear them in the distance as they sought out the possible threat.

After hanging up with Esme, Carlisle pondered the possibilities of what she had told him. A probable supernatural creature had tangled with Jasper. The others were currently searching the woods around the house to make sure the werecat hadn't followed them home. Emmett and Rose were returning from a shopping trip to Seattle with all haste. The likelihood of another shifter breed wasn't new knowledge to him, however, he'd never had contact with one other than the local wolves. After glancing at his watch, he left his office to check the call sheets at the nurse's station. It looked to be another quiet night, so after a brief call to the Associate Chief stating a personal matter required him to return home, Carlisle left the hospital and quickly drove toward their house.

Jasper and Edward kept within sight of each other with Alice between them. She didn't like it but knew Jasper was in full protection mode. They circled the woods, keeping within hearing range of the house, pausing occasionally to listen for any sign of intruders. After a little while, they heard the Mercedes turning onto their long, winding drive and without a word, headed for the house.

As they entered the kitchen, Carlisle looked over Esme's shoulder as he held her. Looking at Jasper's shirt, he asked. "Are you alright son?"

Jasper nodded. "I'm fine." Seeing the expression on Esme's face, he crossed to her and kissed her cheek. "I'm fine Mom," he said while sending a wave of calm toward her.

In turn, she gave him a quick hug then seeing how agitated Alice was, "and you?"

Crossing to place her arm around Esme, Alice looked up at Carlisle. "I'm furious. I didn't see it…" Her focus switched to her mate. "Jasper, I…"

"I know Love," he said softly as he reached out to pull her close. "It's ok. I'm fine."

Carlisle gave them a moment, taking the time to hug his wife and look at Edward. '_She blames herself?_' Edward gave him a brief nod. "Ok. We'll hold off discussing this until Rose and Emmett return. In the meantime, Jasper, I'd like to examine your wounds."

Esme slipped away into the laundry room as Jasper eased away from Alice and removed his shredded shirt. Edward moved to Alice and rubbed her back briefly before heading to the dining room where the family normally held important meetings. She silently followed him.

Carlisle examined the now healed furrows. It hurt him every time a member of his family received a new scar. Each mark had caused pain to those he loved and Jasper already had too many. He felt calm brush over him and nodded at his son. "Do you have any residue pain."

Jasper shook his head. "No, but it wasn't pleasant."

Esme returned and handed him a shirt. "I'm glad you're alright," she said before continuing into the dining room.

"Thanks, Mom," he whispered then as Carlisle stepped back, Jasper slipped on the new shirt buttoning it as he followed his father into the next room.

Carlisle gave Alice a quick kiss on the top of her head before moving to sit by Esme. Jasper slipped into the chair between his wife and mother. Without a word, Alice reached out to take his hand. Edward had pulled his chair closer to Alice's left side. By mutual consent, they sat silently, each with their own thoughts as they waited.

A little while later, Emmett burst thru the front door booming out, "Ok, what was it and when do we kill it?" He appeared in the doorway of the dining room with Rosalie close behind.

Rose rolled her eyes, slipped around him and eased into one of the two remaining chairs. "Well, sit down and we'll find out."

Emmett walked over to sit between his wife and Edward. He looked over at his angry, pixie sister. "We'll get it Alice, don't you worry."

"Jasper," Carlisle said cutting off the conversation. "Would you tell us what happened?"

"Alice and I were hunting. We followed a scent trail to a small group of deer. Alice marked one but as she began her charge, we noticed a panther was after the same doe. Since we were in full hunting mode, it was a moment before we realized it wasn't a normal panther. I managed to jump in front of Alice as the panther lunged, so the cat slammed into me. The impact knocked us back several feet. Both the panther and I were stunned for a bit. Upon recovering, the panther made ready to charge. I grabbed Alice and began throwing waves of calm toward it…"

Rose interrupted. "And that worked?"

Jasper gave her a quick nod. "Yes, I kept bombarding the cat until it calmed enough to actually sit and listen." He took a moment in case the others had questions then continued. The panther had been thrown against a tree which cracked, it was obviously injured and very angry. I'd been knocked onto my back. Alice saw my chest and wanted to attack but…"

"You don't always have to protect me. I could have taken it," quipped Alice with her eyes flashing dangerously. "And stop altering my mood!"

With a sigh. "Alright." He paused for a moment as she rolled her eyes then continued. "We knew at this point it was a sentient creature."

"It attacked you. We need to destroy it." Alice piped up, still very upset.

Jasper slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze.

Emmett jumped up pumping his hands together. "Alright, let's go find it!"

Rose reached out placing her hand on his arm. 'We need an idea of how many there are before chasing after them."

"Hell no! That thing tried to kill Jasper. It has to be killed!"

Shaking his head slightly, Carlisle spoke. "Emmett, we have no idea if the cat is alone and from what Jasper said, he and Alice may have surprised it while they each were hunting. Any creature will attempt to protect itself. Please sit and let us discuss this further."

Emmett considered then glanced down at Rose when she gently squeezed his arm. Her eyes showed worry for him so with a sigh, he sat down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her in for a hug. "Fine… ok."

Drawing on the images in their minds, Edward sat forward, his arms on the table, hands folded together. "It looks to be the same size as the werewolves and seemed to understand what you said." Looking over to their father figure, "what do you think?"

Carlisle's expression was thoughtful. "It's possible. During my time in Volterra, Aro and Caius would sometimes regale us with stories of their exploits; love of art, music, power. Caius would sometimes speak of his war against werewolves." Carlisle merely held up his hand anticipating an interruption. As the others settled, he continued. "The werewolves Caius sought are true werewolves, ruled by the moon, uncontrollable. The ones we know are shapeshifters, who for whatever reason take the form of giant wolves when they transform. Now Caius also talked about other types of transformations he had seen. Egypt had Horus, a birdman, and Anubis, the dogman. There were bear people of Norsemen. Shamans and wizards of old England were said to be able to transform into various birds and other animals. And he talked about cats but the ones he described sounded like lynx or tigers. Caius isn't the type to spread tales but if he's tales were true, there may be a variety of changling breeds out there even though we've never had contact with them." With that, he sat back in his chair.

"What do we do now?" said Esme while looking around the room at her family. "Do we give it a wide berth hoping the werecat believes the encounter to be an accident? Do we seek it out to talk?"

Rosalie spoke next, "perhaps it was simply passing thru the area. We haven't run across any sign of a giant panther before today. I don't believe we could have missed it."

"You could be right Rose," was Carlisle's response. "It seems logical the werecat is either a nomad or may be claiming a territory."


End file.
